Harness actuating mechanism for looms



Aug. 31', 1954 E. M. MOIR HARNESS ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 13, 1951 INVENTOR.

- JITQRNEYS Aug. 31, 1954 E. M, MOIR 2,687,751

HARNESS ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed Oct. 13. 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 m mm [Ill @LI'EI'IIIIIIIIIJ l l'll'q INVENTOR. I 2 55 EDWflRD M Mom 5 BY HTTGENEY 31, 1954 E. M. MOIR HARNESS ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed Oct. 1:5. 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. far/mo M. M 01:?

Aug. 31, 1954 E. M. MOIR HARNESS ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 13, 1951 m T mm Mm .5 Min DMW m v w 4 5% Patented Aug. 31, 1954 HARNESS ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Edward M. Moir, Marcellus, N. Y. Application October 13, 1951, Serial No. 251,187

This invention relates to harness actuating mechanism for looms embodying a wheel dobbie shedding motion. Looms of this type are used extensively for weaving woolen and worsted materials. In these looms, the pattern or design in which the material is woven is obtained by an endless pattern chain. This chain is formed, or assembled, with rollers or balls spaced apart according to the desired pattern and which, upon movement of the chain, are successively moved under the vibrator levers of the head motion, causing the levers to be lifted and the vibrator gears carried thereby to engage the upper cylinder gear. This operation eifects raisingof the harnesses, as is well known in the weaving art.

These pattern chains are heavy and cumbersome to handle and it is tedious and difiicult to assemble a pattern chain to effect a desired pattern in the material woven.

This invention has as an object the elimination of the use of the pattern chains and embodies an arrangement by which the vibrator levers are actuated by a strip of sheet material formed with perforations arranged to eifect the desired pattern.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is an end elevational view of a head motion embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view, the right, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view taken on line 3-3, Figure 1.

Figure 4' is an enlarged view of the vibrator lever actuating mechanism.

Figure 5 is a view taken on line 5-5, Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a view taken on line 3-6, Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a sectional view of the electric contact mechanism.

Figure 8 is an enlarged side elevational view of the ratchet mechanism of the pattern drive shown inv the lower right in Figure 2.

Figure 9 is an end view of the structure shown in Figure 8, looking to the left of that figure.

Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the upper and lower cylinder gears 0, II, are mounted on shafts I2 and I3 respectively journalled in the upright side members I4, l5, of the frame. A multiplicity of.vibrator levers are pivotally mounted at like ends on a rod 2| extending transversely of the head motion and secured in its ends on laterally looking to 3 Claims. (01. 139-47) projecting portions 22 of the side members l4, l5, of the frame. There is pivotally mounted on the opposite end of each vibrator lever a vibrator gear. In the drawings, two vibrator levers 23, 24, and two vibrator gears 25, 26, are shown for illustration. Connector levers 21, 2B, are pivotally connected at one end to vibrator gears respectively, and these levers are connected at their opposite ends to the harness jacks 29 which are mounted for oscillation upon a rod 3|] also carried by the frame.

Each vibrator lever 23, 24, is provided intermediate its ends with a roller 3|, Figure 4, which is engaged by a lifting bar 32. The lifting bars 32 are pivotally mounted on a rod 33 carried by upwardly extending arms 34 mounted on a shaft 35 rectangular in cross section and journalled at its ends in the framework. One of the uprights 34 is part of a bell crank lever, the second arm 36 of which has journalled in its end a roller 31 engaging a cam 38 mounted upon the lower cylinder gear shaft l3, see Figure 5. The cylinder gear shafts 2, l3, are rotated continuously from a vertically arranged drive shaft 40 through beveled gears 4|, 42, 43, 44. Accordingly, the shaft 35 is oscillated continuously and the lifter bars 32 are reciprocated continuously. The inner ends of these lifter bars extend below the rollers 3| on the vibrator levers, and the ends of the lifter bars arepointed, as at 4'6. Normally, the bars are positioned on a rod 41 extending transversely of the head motion and with the upper edge of the bars extending below a fixed supporting rod. 48, the lifter bars 32 being maintained in this position by helical tension springs 49, see Figure 4.

The lifter bars 32 are oscillated about their pivot 33 by solenoids 50, the plungers 5| of which are connected to portions 52 extending rearwardly from the pivot shaft 33 by rods 53. When a solenoid 50 is energized, the lifter bar 32 connected thereto is moved in a counterclockwise direction, Figure 4, and on the next succeeding forward stroke of the bar, the pointed end 46 will move between the supporting rod 48 and the roller 3| of the vibrator lever with which the bar is associated. The pointed end of the lifter bar will cam the vibrator level upwardly, moving the vibrator gear carried by the lever into engagement with the upper cylinder gear It, causing the vibrator gear to move in a counterclockwise direction, Figure 3, and causing the harness jack 29 to move to the left, efiecting upward movement of the harness. The harness is connected to the jack by the flexible members 54, 55. Antifriction rollers 92 may be mounted on the rod 48 for engagement by the lifter bars 32.

When the solenoid is deenergized, the spring 49 will effect movement of the lifter bar to normal position below the supporting rod 658, permitting the vibrator lever to drop, moving the vibrator gear into mesh with the lower cylinder gear ll, eifecting return movement of the harness, as will be apparent. As previously stated, the lifter bars 32 are reciprocated continuously by the oscillating shaft 35 and arms 34 carried thereby.

The vibrator gears 25, 26, are formed with arouate slots 56 for the reception of pins 5? carried by the vibrator levers. This arrangement limits rotation of the vibrator gears in both directions. The solenoids 50 are mounted upon a plate 55 carried by the shaft 35 and movable therewith.

The solenoids are energized by switches in a manner to so actuate the harness as to effect the desired pattern. The circuit to each solenoid includes a switch in the form of a contact 60 slidabiy mounted in a block Bl of insulating material, the contact being yieldingly pressed outward'ly, as indicated in Figure '7, by a spring 62. The block 6| is mounted on the frame of the machine with the contacts engaging an endless belt 64 formed of insulating material and which is provided with perforations 55. When a perforation G5 is moved under one of the contacts 68, it is permitted to engage the metal drum 66 forming the common contact for all of the switch contacts 60, effecting a closed circuit to the solenoid with which the contact is associated. The drum 86 is mounted upon a shaft t8 journalled in bearings 89, and is engaged by a wiping contact 61'. The shaft has fixedly secured to one end a ratchet wheel iii. A bar H is journalled at its center on the shaft 53 between the ratchet wheel it and a collar "2. The bar ii extends radially of the shaft beyond the periphery of the ratchet wheel at opposite sides thereof and is provided with pawls H3, I5. The bar ii is oscillated on the shaft 68 by a link "it connected at one end to the bar and at its opposite end adjustably connected to a crank member ll mounted on the end of shaft IS. The lower pawl 'M is shown in Figures 8 and 9 positioned against a stop pin 3d by tension spring 8!. In this position, the pawl does not engage the teeth 82 of the ratchet wheel iii. The upper pawl 3'5 is shown in operative tooth engaging position by spring 83. This pawl may be rotated in a clockwise direction about its pivot pin 8A!- to position the spring 83 on the opposite side of the pin to hold the pawl out of tooth engaging position and, in like manner, the pawl 14 may be rotated on its pivot pin 85 to bring it into tooth engaging position and it will be so held in that position by the spring 8i, as will be apparent. The lower pawl M serves to effect intermittent rotation of the ratchet wheel iii and shaft 68 in a clockwise direction while the upper pawl l5 effects such rotation in a counterclockwise direction. The ratchet wheel it is provided with a laterally projecting pin 86 which serves as a handle for manually rotating the shaft fit. The shaft St is provided with a detent wheel ifill engaged by a detent iiii mounted on the frame of the machine. The notches in the detent wheel mt correspond to the spacing of the perforations 65 and belts 54, fit.

It will be understood that the right hand portion 88 of the cylinder gears iii, H, functions in connection with vibrator gears associated with the shuttle mechanism of the loom, this mechanism being the same as the harness mechanism above described. In this connection, an endless band 9|] is carried by the roll 66 for energizing the solenoids connected with the shuttle actuating mechanism.

The rod 48 is supported by a series of plates 93 supported by cross member 94 extending between the frame members [4, [5. The rod 41 extends through the plates 93 and also a rod 95. The plates 93 are separated by spacing members 96 to which the plates are attached by rods 91. The spacing members are fixedly secured to the supporting member 94 by screws 98. With this arrangement, the lifter bars 32 are adequately supported and maintained in alinement.

The solenoids 59 are energized in a predetermined sequence to effect proper actuation of the lifter bars 32 to effect the desired pattern. It will be observed that the solenoids 50 are employed only to position the lifter bars so that upon their forward movement they will be effective to cam the vibrator levers 23, 24, to cause the tapered ends it to enter between the rollers 3| and the supporting bar 48. However, the force necessary to effect forward movement of the lifter bars 32 is produced by the cam 38. The rolls or endless band 64, st, may be perforated in any convenient manner and are quickly and conveniently positioned on the drum G6.

The shaft 68 is provided with a notched wheel ml) which functions to more accurately position the roll, and the bands ti, 9! upon each indexing movement of the shaft.

What I claim is:

1. A harness actuating mechanism for looms of the type embodying a wheel dobbie shedding mechanism comprising a frame, a pair of cylinder gears journalled in the frame in spaced apart parallel relationship, a vibrator lever for each harness, said levers being pivotally mounted to the frame at like ends, a vibrator gear journalled on the opposite end of each of said vibrator levers, each of said levers being independently movable about its pivots to cause the vibrator gear carried thereby to alternately engage said cylinder gears, a connector lever connecting each of said vibrator gears to a harness jack for actuating the same upon oscillation of said gears, the combination of a fixed support extending below said vibrator levers intermediate the ends thereof, a lifter bar for each of said levers, power means operable to effect reciprocation of said bars toward and from said support, said bars normally reciprocating in a given path below said support and being movable to reciprocate in a path between said support and said vibrator levers and being operable during reciprocation in said latter path to move said levers upwardly and move the vibrator gear carried thereby into mesh with the upper cylinder gear, a solenoid operativel connected to each of said lifter bars and being operable when energized to move said bars upwardly for reciprocation in said second path, and means operable in timed relation to said lifter bars to energize said solenoids in a predetermined sequence.

2. A harness actuating mechanism for looms of the type embodying a wheel dobbie shedding mechanism comprising a frame, a pair of cylinder gears journalled in the frame in spaced apart parallel relationship, a vibrator lever for each harness, said levers being pivotally mounted to the frame at like ends, a vibrator gear journalled on the opposite end of each of said vibrator levers, each of said levers being independently movable about its pivots to cause the vibrator gear carried thereby to alternately engage said cylinder gears, a connector lever connecting each of said vibrator gears to a harness jack for actuating the same upon oscillation of said gears, the combination of a fixed support extending below said vibrator levers intermediate the ends thereof, a lifter bar for each of said levers, power means operable to efi'ect reciprocation of said bars toward and from said support, said bars normally reciprocating in a given path below said support and being movable to reciprocate in a path between said support and said vibrator levers and being operable during reciprocation in said latter path to move said levers upwardly and move the vibrator gear carried thereby into mesh with the upper cylinder gear, a solenoid operatively connected to each of said lifter bars and being operable when energized to move said bars upwardly for reciprocation in said second path, a switch connected in circuit with each solenoid, a pattern sheet being perforated in a predetermined pattern, said sheet being operable when advanced in juxtaposition to said switches to effect operation thereof in accordance to said pattern, and means operable to advance said sheet in timed relation to the reciprocation of said lifter bars.

3. A harness actuating mechanism for looms of the type embodying a wheel dobbie shedding mechanism comprising a frame, a pair of cylinder gears journalled in the frame in spaced apart parallel relationship, a vibrator lever for each harness, said levers being pivotally mounted to the frame at like ends, a vibrator gear journalled on the opposite end of each of said vibrator levers, each of said levers being independently movable about its pivots to cause the vibrator gear carried thereby to alternately engage said cylinder gears, a connector lever connecting each of said vibrator gears to a harness jack for actuating the same upon oscillation of said gears, the combination of a fixed support extending below said vibrator levers intermediate the ends thereof, a lifter bar for each of said levers, power means operable to effect reciprocation of said bars toward and from said support, said bars normally reciprocating in a given path below said support and being movable to reciprocate in a path between said support and said vibrator levers and being operable during reciprocation insaidlatter path to move said levers upwardly and move the vibrator gear carried thereby into mesh with the upper cylinder gear, a solenoid operatively connected to each of said lifter bars and being operable when energized to move said bars upwardly for reciprocation in said second path, a switch connected in circuit with each of said solenoids, an endless band of insulating material formed with rows of perforations arranged in a predetermined pattern, each of said switches having a contact arranged in registration with one row of said perforations, said perforations being operable to open and close the contacts of said switches upon advancement of said band, and means operable to advance said band in timed relation to the movement of said lifter bars.

References Cited in' the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 565,447 Gates Aug. 11, 1896 770,167 Crompton Sept. 13, 1904 908,687 Moxon et a1. Jan. 5, 1909 1,886,133 Staubli Nov. 1, 1932 1,961,042 Gordon May 29, 1934 2,049,090 Staubli July 28, 1936 2,136,765 Staubli Nov. 15, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 380,750 Great Britain Sept. 22, 1932 544,055 Germany Feb. 12, 1932 

